CrossFit’s Criticism: How Do I Eat Enough Carbs on Primal?
By far the single most common criticism levied against paleo by CrossFitters is that it’s too damn difficult to eat enough carbs to maintain performance during workouts. There is definitely truth there. First, let’s establish something. Do CrossFitters indeed need more carbs than your average Primal bear? Yes. CrossFit workouts are intense. Your muscles need fuel to support intense movements, and they need it immediately and repeatedly. Glycogen just works better for that. It’s a matter of logistics. Glycogen is right there in the muscle, ready to go. It’s settled, sedentary, tethered. The fatty acids we burn are unencumbered, nomadic, going where they’re needed. That’s why we call them free fatty acids. Furthermore, glycogen requires less oxygen to burn than fat. As your average CrossFit workout has you out of breath within the first minute or two, glycogen is a CrossFitter’s best friend. If you don’t believe me, perhaps this 2016 study will convince you. It was a unique one